Textile carding and drafting apparatus



Aug. 30, 1966 v. A. BURNHAM TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Filed May v, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 30, 1966 v. A. BURNHAM 3,268,953

, TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Fiied May 7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A g- 1966 v. A. BURNHAM TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 7, 1963 Aug. 30, 1966 v. A. BURNHAM 3,268,953

TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent TEXTILE QARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Virgil A. Burnharn, Saco, Maine, assignor to Maremont Corporation, Chicago, Ill, a corporation of Illinois Filed May 7, i963, Ser. No. 278,727 2 Claims. (Cl. l9.25)

This invention relates to the carding and drafting of textile fibers and more particularly to an integrated apparatus therefor, comprising multiple cards with their outputs fed to a single drafting element to produce continuously a single carded and drafted sliver which can be automatically coiled into a can or the like receptacle.

Multiple card assemblies producing a single sliver output have been used for many years by reason of their known advantage of greatly reducing sliver handling. Their use is to be contrasted with the usual arrangement wherein each card is provided with a coiler for coiling into cans the sliver output of the card, a group of cans thereafter being used to feed a drafting element to produce a single sliver out-put. It is the intermediate step of coiling into cans for thereafter feeding to a drafting element which is avoided by the use of a multiple card system.

In spite of the known advantage of a multiple card system, they have not been much used because of the diificulties of operation and control inherent in such a system. That is to say, such problems as arise from the necessity for overall synchronization of the system, as for example, starting and stopping elements of the system without sliver breakage, as when changing from a full to empty can or other package, or when sliver breakage, lap-ups or other failure of sliver delivery occurs, must be dealt with and solved if a commercially useful system is to be provided.

Accordingly, it is a major object of the invention to provide a completely integrated, commercially useful multiple card apparatus having a single sliver delivery from a drafting element operated as part of the overall system.

More specifically, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a multiple carding and drafting apparatus of the general type having a group of from four to twelve cards which are arranged in side by side relation to produce slivers which are together drafted by a draw box and so combined into a single s.iver, which is deposited in a coil in a can. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown, it is assumed that eight cards are used. The slivers produced in the several cards are advanced along a sliver support table beyond sliver feeding rolls and over an accumulator box to the drafting element in which the slivers are drafted as a single sliver. The sliver issuing from the drafting element passes to calender rolls and a coiler, which deposits the sliver in a can, and periodically, a can changing mechanism is operated automatically to replace the full can with an empty one.

The invention provides a novel drive and control mechanism from which are driven and controlled the doffer cylinder and the feed, lap and calender rolls of the several cards, as well as the drafting element and the coiler with its calender rolls and can changing mechanism, such drive and control mechanism including a predetermined can changing control, and sliver break and lap-up detectors and the like.

Another major object of the invention is to provide novel multiple card driving and control rnechanismby which the card feeding rolls and dofier cylinder may be operated at a .slow speed during the can changing operation. This is particularly important in a practical multiple card system since, if the doffer cylinder of the card is stopped, even for a short period of time, while the main cylinder is in motion, an extremely light section will be produced transversely in the web that is being removed from the dofier cylinder and being formed into a sliver. If a heavy section follows such a thin section, the sliver will often break when the doffer cylinder is restarted or the sliver will plug the trumpet that conventionally precedes the card output calender rolls. If as a result the card web breaks, a pile-up of fibers will take place in front of the doffer and occasionally this mass of fibers will be caught by the doifer and fed back to the main cylinder causing the card to jam and frequently tearing card clothing from the cylinders causing substantial card damage. Furthermore, such a thin section of the web, even if initiating no machine damage, will impair the quality of the resulting sliver. For these reasons, it is most desirable that the doffer cylinder continues to rotate as long as the main cylinder is running.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel multiple card driving and control mechanism, whereby, by a combination of mechanical and electrical functions, sliver breakage will be avoided during the can changing operation. In one embodiment of this invention, it is preferred to stop the drafting element and coiler during this operation. It is apparent that if the doffer cylinders were running at full speed while this operation was being performed, the pile-up of sliver in back of the drafting element would be excessive. The present invention, however, provides means for reducing the speed of the doffer cylinders to a low value, a creep speed, which reduces such pile-up to a minimum, thus eliminating waste as Well as the time consuming operation of removing this excess and piecing the sliver together, in order to again start up the apparatus after the can changing cycle is completed. This is accomplished by providing an accumulator box between the sliver feeding rolls and the drafting element to receive the small amount of excess sliver which is accumulated during the short time that the drafting element is stopped. The tension draft pro vided between the back roll of the drafting element and the sliver supporting table calender rolls allows this excess to be taken up quickly When the unit returns to full speed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide mechanical and electrical controls to shift the doffer and its allied parts to creep speed and at the same time deenergize the main driving motor and brake the main cylinders to stop the entire unit when a lap-up occurs in the draw box or a sliver break occurs between the cards and the draw box. Such shift to creep speed, as described in the above paragraph, also reduces the excessive pile-up of slivers during this operation.

In general, it is an overall object of the invention to provide a novel and improved multiple card drive and control mechanism by means of which the several cards are simultaneously operated and controlled in a most effective and simple manner.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a novel magnetic drafting element having lap-up detector means, such being particularly useful in conjunction with the multiple card of the invention.

It is another specific object of the invention to provide novel photo-electric sliver guide and break detector means, such also being particularly useful in conjunction with the multiple card of the invention.

With these and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall plan somewhat diagrammatic View of the multiple card apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

a FIG. 3 is another detail view of a portion of the multiple card apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an electrical circuit diagram of the multiple card apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively, plan and cross sectional side views of the novel sliver turning guide and detector of the invention; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are, respectively, plan, side and cross sectional detail views of the novel lap-up detecting magnetic drafting element of the invention. 7

The multiple carding and drafting apparatus herein disclosed in FIG. 1 comprises a series of cards generally designated 20a, 20b, 200, which may vary conveniently between four and twelve in number and which may in the present instance be assumed to be eight, of which three are shown.

Each card is generally conventional and complete in itself except for its drives and controls as hereinafter described. Thus, each card comprises generally a main cylinder 22 over which is drawn in conventional manner an endless series of flats not here specifically shown. The lap of textile fibers is fed onto the main cylinder by means of mechanism which includes a so-called licker-in 24, a lap roll 26 and a relatively small diameter feed roll 28. From the main cylinder 22 the fiber is transferred to the doffer cylinder 30, is removed therefrom by a dofling comb 32, is passed between calender rolls 34 to a turning guide and sliver detector generally designated 40 and thence onto a long transverse fiat sliver support table 50 on which is deposited the sliver fro-m each of the several adjacent cards. The cards 20 of which three cards 20a, 20b and 200 are shown, are disposed side by side with their main cylinder shafts 36 aligned and connected by couplings 38. On cylinder shaft 36a of the card 20a is mounted a speed reduction unit 62 which has its input shaft 61 connected to the output shaft 63 of an electric motor 64, through a belt and pulley connection 65. An electric brake 67 is provided on input shaft 61. The cylinder shaft 36 of each card is connected by a belt and pulley drive 25 to licker-in 24 of the card, so that the licker-in 24 is at all times driven with main cylinder 22. Another pulley on the cylinder shaft 36 is connected by a pulley and operating connections therefrom, not here shown, for driving the series of flats (not shown) which overlie the main cylinder 22. The doffing comb 32 for each of the cards also is driven from the associated cylinder shaft 36 through connections not specifically shown but which may be of ordinary description.

According to the invention, each of the several dotfer cylinders 30, the feed rolls 28, and calender rolls 34, are individually driven as to each card from a counter shaft 70 which extends across the delivery ends of all the cards 20. The counter shaft 70 is in turn driven from the motor 64 by belt drive 66 through a variable speed shifting and declutching transmission 80 and belt drive 68 from its output shaft 81. Said transmission is shiftable between a high operating speed and a slow creep speed, for can changing and other purposes, as hereinafter more fully described.

More specifically, each of the doffer cylinders 30 are individually driven from the counter shaft 70 by means of a pulley drive 72 and gear drive '74. The associated feed roll 28 for each card is individually driven from the doffer 30 by means of a rearwardly extending shaft 76 connected at its forward end through suitable bevel gears and at its rear end through similar bevel Igears to feed roll 28. The lap roll 26 is driven from the feed roll 28 by means of a gear train 27, so that the feed of fiber to the card will vary with the speed of doffer cylinder 30, which in turn controls the outfecd of card web from the card through calender rolls 34 which are operated in synchronism with the doffer cylinder, being driven by gear drive 78 from gear drive 74.

The drafting element 100, hereinafter more fully described, is separately driven from transmission 80, al-

though it might also be driven by counter shaft 70, through a magnetically operated clutching and braking unit 102, having clutch element 102-1 and brake element 1022 which drives drafting element input shaft 104. This unit includes a drafting element input shaft 104 which is driven from the transmission output shaft 82 by means of a pulley drive 101 therebetween. Unit 102 comprises a magnetically controlled clutch 1021 which in turn drives shaft 104, a brake 1022 being operable to brake said shaft and hence drafting element 100, as hereinafter more fully explained as is the connection and operation of the sliver discontinuity detectors, lap-up detector switches 108 and 109 associated with drafting element 100. A conventional coiler mechanism (not shown) including calender rolls 107 is also driven from shaft 104 Sliver support table 50 extends along the delivery ends of the cards to terminate close to drafting element 100, the sliver being fed from the individual card calender rolls 34 around sliver guides and detectors 40 hereinafter described in detail and moved along said table 50 by helper rolls 52, 54 the latter being driven from calender rolls 34 by gear drive 56. An accumulator box 58 is provided between the last set of helper rolls 54 and drafting element 100, and a slight draft is established between the latter so that the drafting element will take sliver away from helper rolls S4 somewhat faster than the sliver is fed from said helper rolls, preferably about 1 to 1.05 1.08, this being necessary to pick up sliver accumulated in box 58, during can changing, for example, as hereinafter described.

A full can measuring device 105, such as a predetermined yardage counter or other quantity measuring device, is driven from drafting element input shaft 104 through gear device 106 for initiating the can changing cycle, to remove a full can F and replace it with an empty can E, such being accomplished by full can pusher cylinder with its associated valve 132 and switches 134, 135 and empty can pusher cylinder with its associated valve 142 and switches 144.

The novel sliver break detector and turning guide of the invention generally designated 40 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. It includes, mounted on the silver supporting surface of table 50 a pair of upstanding guide mernbers 4-2, 46 having rounded lower surfaces 41, 45 adjacent to supporting surface 50 which are generally perpendicular thereto and spaced upper surfaces 43, 47 which are at an angle to said supporting surface and are preferably somewhat divergent. Lip surface 47 of member 46 overlies the surface 43 of member 4-2 and extends well beyond the slot formed between lower surfaces 41, 45 in a direction generally across the entering sliver S and away from the departing sliver which turns through an angle of about 90 in passing through the guide, such lip surface not only serving to form a guide for more easily inserting the sliver, but also serving to assist in shielding its photo-electric elements from overhead ambient light. Suitable photo-electric elements, such as lamp 44 and photo-cell 48 face one another across the surfaces 41, 45, with their transparent lenses 44a and 48a in effect forming a part of said surfaces, to detect the presence of sliver S there bet ween.

The transmission 80 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. Its input shaft 84 is driven by motor 64 through belt drive 66. Fixed to shaft 84 is a gear train 85 driving shaft 86. Also fixed to shaft 86 is a small gear forming a part of gear train 87 and an electric clutch 88, driving a gear train 89. Shaft 90 is driven by gear train 89 and in turn can drive output shaft 81 through gear train 92. Shaft 81 can also be driven directly from shaft 86 by gear train 87, which includes compound gear 93 rotatably mounted on shaft 90, by means of over-running clutch 94. Output shaft 82 is driven from shaft 81 by means of suitable bevel gears 95.

The function of the transmission is as follows: For

normal card operating speed the motor power is transmitted to input shaft 84; through gear train 85 to shaft 86 and thence through the energized and engaged electric clutch 88 and gear train 89 to shaft 90, thence through gear train 92 to output shaft 81 and 82. Gear train 92 comprises change gears for varying the total production.

For creep speed during can changing, for example, the power is transmitted to shaft 86 as described above. However, in this condition electric clutch 88 is deenergized, so that gear train 89 is no longer driven by shaft 86. The power is then transmitted from shaft 86 through gear train 87 including compound gear 93 imparting a much slower speed to the output shaft 81. Gear train 87 in this condition drives through over-running clutch 94, since said clutch is not otherwise driven by gear train 92 to over-run the slower speed driving of its driven element of the creep speed gear train 87.

The novel magnetic, lap-up detacking drafting element of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7-9. It includes a series of four ferrous bottom rolls 110, 112, 114, and 116 and cooperating top rolls 111, 113, 1 1 5 and 117 for drafting a sliver passing therethrough. Bottom rolls 110, 112, 114 and 116 are mounted in suitable bearings on frame 120 and are driven in the usual manner from shaft 104 by suitable gears to drive the rolls at increasing speeds in the direction of sliver movement and so draft a sliver passing therethrough. Mounted on frame 120 is a pair of bars 122, 124 having downwardly ex tending rear portions 123, 125 pivotally supported on frame 120. The forward end of said bars, which extend over all of the top rolls, overlies and is supported in operating position by fixed support 121 which extends upwardly from frame 120. Knobs 126, 128 are provided on the forward ends of bars 122, 124 for raising them from operative to inoperative position, and lap-up switches 108, 109 are mounted on supports 121 for operation by each bar.

The top rolls have reduced end portions 136 carrying sleeve elements 138 and bearing block elements 139 with antifriction bearings 137 therebetween, and are each supported and guided at each end by slotted elements supported in turn on bars 122, 124. -Thus top roll 111 is supported by elements 150, 151 on bars 122, 124 respectively; roll 113 by elements 152, 153; roll 115 by elements 154, 155; and roll 117 by elements 156, 157. These elements have bores 160 supporting them for adjustable positioning along bars 122, 124 and may be fixed in any desired adjusted position by set screws 16 2. A downwardly extending slot is provided on each of said elements between their legs 1 64, 1 66 for receiving the bearing blocks 139 of the top rolls, said top rolls being free to move up or down in said slots for a limited distance, limited in a direction toward the lower, open end of the slot by a stop member 168 and limited in a direction, toward the upper, closed end of the slot by an ad justable screw contact 170.

In normal running position (FIG. 9) the bearing block 139 is out of contact with stop 168, since top roll 1 11 is supported by its contact with lower roll 110 to space block 139 above stop 168, while if the bars 122, 1 24 be raised to pull the top rolls away from their cooperating bottom rolls, in so doing, stops 168 are raised into contact with bearing blocks 139 and through said stops is applied the force necessary to pull the magnetic top rolls away from their cooperating bottom rolls.

If a lap-up should occur so that an excess of fiber appears between any of the pairs of top and bottom rolls, such roll will move upward until its bearing block 139 contacts adjustable contact 170, and thereafter further accumulation of fiber will raise bar 122 or 124, or both. As soon as a bar 122 or 124 is raised to an appreciable degree by such a lap-up occurring on any of the rolls, switches 108 or 109 will be operated.

For integrated operation of each of the above described elements, primarily to achieve automatic can changing but also for other purposes including starting and stopping the multiple card apparatus for reasons of failure of sliver delivery or otherwise, the invention provides suitable electrical circuitry shown in FIG. 4. In general, the driving and control mechanism of the illustrated machine is particularly adapted for the driving of a plurality of cards in side by side relation as a single unit, and for controlling said cards during the can changing operation in such a manner as to prevent separation or marking of the sliver, and particularly without stopping certain of the machine elements. In the preferred embodiment shown, the can changing operation is performed automatically to reduce so far as possible the time required for this operation. The arrangement of the driving connections in which a counter shaft is provided extending across the delivery ends of the several cards, which shaft is driven-by a speed shifting transmission connected to drive individually each of the dotting cylinders, the feed rolls at the feed side of the main cylinders, the calender rolls, and helper rolls, the rolls of the drafting element and the coiler and its calender rolls as a single integrated unit, provides an extremely accurate simultaneous control for the slowing of these units to a creep speed or stopping the drafting and coiler elements and for subsequently reestablishing the full operating speed thereof during and following the can changing operation when the counter shaft is first slowed to its creep speed for the can changing operation and is then returned to its customary operating speed. In the arrangement shown it will be understood that the several elements of the machine referred to are slowed to a desired lower speed while the main cylinders 20 continue to be driven at their customary peripheral rate.

An electrical drive and control system is provided for the machine as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, only those connections being shown which are believed necessary for a full understanding of the present invention. Mechanically interconnected switches and similar elements, and relays and their contacts are similarly numbered with further individual identifying reference numerals. As shown in the electrical diagram, the main motor 64 may be connected between two lines 201 and 202 in series with normally closed lap-up relay contacts 204-1, a start switch 205, a stop switch 206, drafting element brake interlock switch contacts 207-2 and a relay 208 having contacts 208-1 which provide a holding circuit for the start switch 205, a stop switch 206, drafting element brake interlock across lines 201 and 202 in series with creep speed selector switch 209, normally closed lap-up relay contacts 204-2 and normally closed can changing relay contacts 210-2. The drafting element clutch and brake unit 102 has its clutch portion 102-1 and brake unit 102-2 separately connected, the former being in series with normally closed lap-up relay contacts 204-3 and normally closed time delayed can changing relay contacts 210-3, while the latter is in series with brake release switch 207-1 and a parallel connection of normally open lap-up relay contacts 204-4 and normally open time delayed can changing re; lay contacts 210-4. If it be desired to continue to run the drafting element at creep speed while changing cans, contacts 210-2 can be shorted and contacts 210-4 omitted.

The energizing elements for the can changing cycle include the normally open predetermined yardage counter switch contacts .105-1. Such counters are well known to those skilled in the art and need not be herein further described except as to their function of mechanically and momentarily closing a set of switch contacts -1 upon reaching a predetermined yardage of sliver fed between a pair of rolls, as determined by the number of revolutions of said rolls. With such arrangement there need be no provision for resetting, although such can be included if desire-d. As herein shown, the yardage counter 105 is driven with drafting element 100. The contacts 105-1 are provided with a parallel normally open momentary switch 214 for manual initiation of the can changing cycle and are in series with normally closed empty can limit switch contacts 144-2 and can changing relay coil 210 having contacts 210-1 which provide a holding circuit. The full can solenoid valves 132 and empty can solenoid valve 142 have their operation initiated by can changing relay coil 210, the former valve being in series with its normally open time delayed contacts 210- and contacts 212-2 of can relay coil 212, and the latter valve being in series with normally open limit switch 134 and contacts 212-3 of coil 212. Said coil is itself connected in series wtih normally closed limit switch contacts 144-1 and limit switch 135, and has a holding circuit consisting of its contacts 212-1.

The normally closed lap-up switches 108, 109 are in series with one another, with the lap-up coil 204 and with the normally closed contacts 220-11 of the sliver break relay coil 220. The latter is in series with the normally closed sliver break switches 40-1 and 40-2 which are a part of sliver break detector and turning guide 40, and actuates contacts 220-2 in series with yellow warning light 218. Switches 40 can be shorted by contacts 222-1, which are mechanically connected to contacts 222-2 in parallel with contacts 220-2 so that light 218 will remain lit so long as contacts 40 remain shorted by contacts 222-1. A red lap-up warning light 216 is provided in series with normally open lap-up relay contacts 204-5 'and main cylinder brake 67 is similarly connected with contacts 204-6.

In order to start the multiple card apparatus, assuming slivers extend continuously therethrough, the selector switch 209 is turned to ON position and with the start push button 205 the unit is started at creep speed. After the main cylinders 22 are up to speed, the creep switch 209 is turned to OFF position, which results in automatically shifting to normal speed. In conventional operation, fibers are removed from the doifer cylinder in the form of sliver which is passed around guides and detectors 40, assembled on table 50, passed through drafting element 100 and coiled into a can F.

To stop the apparatus, button 206 is pushed, so that the apparatus will decelerate to a stop, leaving slivers extending continuously therethrough for restarting as set forth above.

After a predetermined number of yards of sliver has been fed to the can F, to fill it, the automatic can changing cycle is initiated by the yardage counter 105, switch 105-1 of which momentarily closes. This energizes the time delay relay coil 210, closing its contacts 210-1. At the same time, its contacts 210-2 open, de-energizing transmission clutch 88, and so shifting from normal to creep speed. After a predetermined length of time for the rotating elements to decelerate to creep speed, time delay contacts 210-3 open, de-energizing drafting element clutch 102-1 and time delay contacts 210-4 close, energizing drafting element brake 102-2, stopping the drafting element. At the same time, time delay contacts 210-5 close, energizing the full can air valve solenoid 132, starting the air cylinder 130 moving out the full can F. When cylinder 130 is fully extended so that the full can F is clear, the movable element thereof contacts limit switch 135 which closes, energizing relay coil 212, closing contacts 212-1 and opening contacts 212-2, resulting in deenergizing the full can air valve 132 solenoid for spring return and so allowing the full can air cylinder 130 to return to its normal position. At the same time, contacts 212-2 are closed. When air cylinder 130 is fully retracted, its limit switch 134 closes, energizing the empty can air cylinder solenoid 142, starting the empty can air cylinder 140 to move the empty can E into full can position. When air cylinder 140 is fully extended, limit switch contacts 144-1 open, de-energizing relay coil 212, allowing the empty can cylinder 140 to return to its normal position. At the same time, limit switch contacts 144-2 open, de-energizing time delay relay coil 210 and opening its contacts 210-4, thus de-energizing the drafting element brake 102-2 and closing its contacts 210-3, thus energizing the drafting element clutch 102-1 in order to start the drafting element. At the same time the de-energizing of relay coil 210 closes contacts 210-2, energizing transmission clutch 88 to return the unit to normal speed. A push button 214 provided on the control panel makes possible manual can changing as desired.

As has been pointed out above, during the entire can changing cycle, the feeding and doffing elements of the cards themselves continue to run at creep speed, so that the card slivers continue to be fed along sliver table 50 by helper rolls 52, 54. However, since the rolls of the drafting element are stopped during the can changing cycle, the drafting element will not move the combined slivers away from helper rolls 54. Rather, in accordance with one feature of the invention, the slivers being fed at creep speed by helper rolls 54 will accumulate in accumulator box 58, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. However, when the can changing cycle is completed, the excess of speed of the back rolls of the drafting element 100 over the speed of helper rolls 54 will gradually pick up the excess sliver accumulated in accumulator box 54. Thus, the cards can continue to run and produce sliver during the can changing cycle, without sliver damage or breakage as a result of the can changing cycle. This is a particularly important and unique feature of the present invention.

When a lap-up occurs on any of the top or bottom rolls of the drafting element, one of the lap-up detector contacts 108, 109 opens, de-energizing relay coil 204, closing its contacts 204-5 and lighting the red signal light 216. At the same time, contacts 204-3 open, de-energizing drafting element clutch 102-1 and closing contacts 204-4, energizing drafting element brake 102-2 and positively stopping the drafting element. At the same time, contacts 204-2 open, tie-energizing transmission clutch 88 to shift the transmission output from normal to creep speed. Also at the same time, contacts 204-1 open, deenergizing the driving motor 64 and so allowing the entire unit to stop, contacts 204-6 also closing to energize main cylinder brake 67. Red light 216 is also energized. A selector switch 207-1 is provided on the control panel manually to de-energize the drafting element brake 102-2 so that the drafting rolls and coiler can be turned by hand to piece up the sliver. After the lap-up is removed and the sliver is pieced, the unit is again ready to start.

If the sliver breaks at the card calender roll, one of the sliver break detectorswitches 40-1 and 40-2 (one for each card) opens, de-energizing relay coil 220, closing its contacts 220-2 and lighting yellow light 218. At the same time, contacts 220-1 open, de-energizing relay coil 204. This shifts transmission 88 to creep speed, stops the drafting element and de-energizes the driving motor as described above. Both red light 216 and yellow light 218 will be lit in this condition. After the break in the sliver has been repaired, the unit can be started as described above.

Thus, it will be seen that the invention provides a novel multiple card apparatus, as well as a novel lap-up detect ing magnetic drafting element and a novel photo-electric sliver break detector. Various modifications of the invention, not herein disclosed, but within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims, will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A carding apparatus which comprises a card having a main cylinder and a doffer cylinder,

main cylinder drive means for driving the main cylinder at an operating speed,

doffer cylinder drive means shiftable between operating and creep speeds,

quantity defining means establishing the amount of sliver to be collected as a package in a receptacle, package receptacle changing means, and

control means responsive to said quantity defining,

9 10 means, said control means being connected to said 605,057 5/1898 Hopkinson et a1 19-106 doffer cylinder drive means operative to shift said 623,950 4/1899 Eaton 19-106 doffer cylinder drive means to drive said doffer 821,590 5/ 1906 Henry 19-.26 cylinder at said creep speed and to operate said pack- 1,132,878 3/1915 Pilling 19-106 age receptacle changing means to change said pack- 5 1,727,285 9/1929 Gullung 19-.25 age receptacle while said doifer cylinder continues to 2,260,355 10/ 1941 Warner 19-100 X be driven at said creep speed and said main cylinder 2,442,478 6/1948 Watson 19-.21 continues to be driven at said operating speed and, 2,636,223 4/1953 De Santis et al 19-.21 after said package receptacle has been changed, to 2,800,686 7/1957 Long et al. 19-.26 X again operate said doffer cylinder drive to drive said 10 2,964,802 12/ 1960 Aono et al 19-105 doifer cylinder at operating speed. 3,044,128 7/ 1962 Gerber 19-295 2. In a carding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, fiurther 3,071,820 1/ 1963 Bettoni et a1. 1 19-98 including 3,079,648 3/1963 Schiltknecht 19-295 sliver discontinuity detecting means and 3,102,305 9/ 1963 Haneda et al. 19-157 main cylinder brake means, and 15 FOREIGN PATENTS wherein said control means is responsive to said sliver discontinuity means to operate said brake means to 3,922 1872 Great Britainstop said main cylinder.

MERVIN STEIN, Przmary Exammer. References Cited by the Examiner 2 DONALD W PARKER, Emmi-"eh UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,835 3/1892 Dobson et a1. 19-106 501,573 7/1893 McDermott 19.25

D. NEWTON, Assistant Examiner.

Attest:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,268,953 August 30, 1966 Virgil A. Burnham It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

for "detacking" read detecting a stop switch 206, drafting 205. The transmission Column 5, line 17, column 6, line 46, for "205, element brake interlock" read clutch solenoid 88 is connected Signed and sealed this 1st day of August 1967.

(SEAL) EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A CARDING APPARATUS WHICH COMPRISES A CARD HAVING A MAIN CYLINDER AND A DOFFER CYLINDER, MAIN CYLINDER DRIVE MEANS FOR DRIVING THE MAIN CYLINDER AT AN OPERATING SPEED, DOFFER CYLINDER DRIVE MEANS SHIFTABLE BETWEEN OPERATING AND CREEP SPEEDS, QUANTITY DEFINING MEANS ESTABLISHING THE AMOUNT OF SLIVER TO BE COLLECTED AS A PACKAGE IN A RECEPTACLE, PACKAGE RECEPTACLE CHANGING MEANS, AND CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID QUANTITY DEFINING MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DOFFER CYLINDER DIRVE MEANS OPERATIVE TO SHIFT SAID DOFFER CYLINDER DIRVE MEANS TO DRIVE SAID DOFFER CYLINDER AT SAID CREEP SPEED AND TO OPERATE SAID PACKAGE RECEPTACLE CHANGING MEANS TO CHANGE SAID PACKAGE RECEPTACLE WHILE SAID DOFFER CYLINDER CONTINUES TO BE DRIVEN AT SAID CREEP SPEED AND SAID MAIN CYLINDER CONTINUES TO BE DRIVEN AT SAID OPERATING SPEED AND, AFTER SAID PACKAGE RECEPTACLE HAS BEEN CHANGED, TO AGAIN OPERATE SAID DOFFER CYLINDER DRIVE TO DRIVE SAID DOFFER CYLINDER AT OPERATING SPEED. 